In new democracies, public servants, who were "almost bad" or "mostly
good," leave leaders with ugly choices. What happens to those who worked
for and with the old order?
In transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy, systems must decide who
to exclude from public office. What do you do with those who, "without
being guilty, cannot be called innocent"? This process is called lustration.
Lustration helps establish an impartial, reliable, and secure state. Bureaucracies
and security services are necessary. However, former public officials may be
habituated to abusing power or even interested in reviving the previous regime. Furthermore, they may enjoy little public acceptance, because of irregular recruitment or poor performance.
Lustration not only protects the new government from internal enemies, but also
increases public confidence in political institutions, making them more transparent
and credible.
The critics argue: illiberal means cannot lead to liberal ends. Lustration is
ultimately undemocratic: denying groups' access to jobs, violating citizens'
rights, and instituting collective punishment. Purging may also disqualify people
with needed rare skills. Furthermore, lustration is easily exploited by
power-hungry authorities eager to eliminate opponents. At its worst, lustration
relies on the old regimes' security files, and allows individuals to settle
personal scores.
What do you think? Is lustration the right approach to the past? Does it strengthen
democratic processes? Or, does it create divisions that ultimately impede the
transition to democracy?
By Mladen
Joksic
For more information see:
Williams, K., A. Szczerbiak and B. Fowler (2005) "Explaining Lustration
in Central Europe: a 'Post-Communist Politics' Approach," Democratization
12 (1): 22-43.
For further reading:
Meierhenrich, J. (2006) "The Ethics of Lustration," Ethics &
International Affairs 20 (1): 99-120.
David, R. (2006) "From Prague to Baghdad: Lustration Systems and their
Political Effects," Government and Opposition 41 (3): 347-72.
Duthie, R. (2007) "Introduction" in: Justice as Prevention: Vetting
Public Employees in Transitional Societies, A. Mayer-Rieckh and P. de Greiff
(eds.), New York: Social Science Research Council.
Photo Credits in order of Appearance:Anonymous German
Federal ArchiveThomas
HeddenDenoel
ParisGerman
Federal Archive Peter
Heinz Junge
Archiwum Kancelarii Prezydenta RP Heinz
HirndorfST
